


The Less He Spoke

by Ceares



Series: Strigidae [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: A/U, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, nebulous season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-14 14:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3414509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceares/pseuds/Ceares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Birds of omen dark and foul,<br/>Night-crow, raven, bat, and owl,<br/>Leave the sick man to his dream --<br/>All night long he heard your scream<br/>Sir Walter Scott</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Less He Spoke

**Author's Note:**

> For Pic for 1000 for this picture https://www.flickr.com/photos/58124596@N02/6122323789/in/photostream/lightbox/
> 
> Because of course my first CM fic would be an a/u.  
> Set in the same universe as **Ten Seconds or Less**
> 
> Chronologically 2nd, this was actually the first story written in the series so, there are minor discrepancies since this was meant to be a one-shot.

It took three murders before the locals realized that they couldn’t handle things themselves and needed the PBAU. Derek sighed, snapping a few more shots to send to Garcia before stepping back to let Reid work. 

Long fingers ran lightly over the mottled feathers of the dead owl, gathering a few and tucking them into his bag. From the twist of his mouth, Derek knew Reid would have loved to take the animal down off the door and bury it properly but they couldn’t disturb the crime scene. He shuddered suddenly, jerking his hand away. 

“You okay, Pre...Reid?” The nickname had never been in jest, but Derek couldn’t use it casually any more, not when it brought forth images of Spencer stretched out beneath him on white linen, sun dabbled and glowing, wicked eyes and an eager smile. No, while they worked he was Reid. Not Pretty boy, not even Spencer. Derek needed as much distance as possible to make sure his mind stayed on the job. 

Reid raised a brow at the slip, mouth quirking but he didn’t comment on it. “I’m fine. Just a little residual power bleed.” 

Derek frowned. “I thought you said the Unsub was human.” 

Reid knelt down, passing his hand above the bloody objects on the ground. “He is, but there’s a thread of power here too. I’d say there was a witch in his lineage somewhere.” 

“Great, so you’re saying this guy actually has some power?”

Reid nodded. “Yeah, but not nearly enough to do any actual damage.” 

Derek looked over the crime scene. “No, looks like he can take care of that all on his own.” 

“Has Hotch talked to the Council?”

“We’ve got a week.” Hotch had hung up with even more of a resting bitch face than usual. 

Reid stood up. “They won’t tolerate another witch hunt.” He glanced back at the body, “even if the victims aren’t actual witches.” 

 

**********

Hotch looked up when they came in, raising one finger as he continued his phone conversation. “I don’t want this situation to get out of hand either, ma’am, my team _will_ handle it.” 

It didn’t take Derek’s enhanced hearing for the shrill tones to be audible, though everybody studiously studied their files, like they couldn’t hear. Reid was wrong, that woman had some banshee somewhere in her family. When he glanced over, Reid rolled his eyes like he knew what Derek was thinking. 

Hotch hung up the phone and looked at them questioningly. 

“Definitely some type of power transference ritual.”

“Reid says he’s not a witch, but it’s possible witchery is lineal.”

“Okay, Garcia, can you check the victims for that? The Council would keep those kinds of records, right?” 

Derek watched as Reid and Garcia exchange wary looks. 

Hotch noticed too and his expression tightened. “You can promise the Council that only you and Reid will have access to the list.”

“Will do, Chief. I’ll get it or, I’ll _get_ it.” 

Hotch nodded. “Okay, we’re ready to give the profile.” 

 

**********

 

“The person we’re looking for is human. He craves power but fears it too. The owls nailed to the door are meant to ward off evil spirits.”

“How do you know he’s not a witch? All the stuff at the scenes are witch implements.”

Reid nodded and continued. “True, but every witch has their own signature if you will. The only time a witch would work outside of that would be an emergency where they had to use anything handy. Our Unsub is all over the place in terms of tools and spells.”

Derek stepped forward. “He’s what we call a mixed presentation killer. He starts off organized but at some point loses control, either because of his fear or anger that he isn’t getting what he wants.”

J.J. looked around the room. “Look for someone who had a volatile encounter with a praet recently. It might have been in a social situation or it could have been in the work place but chances are there was enough of a problem that people noticed, maybe even called the police.” 

Hotch spoke while Emily handed out sheets with the profile on them. “This guy is not going to stop, and every time he doesn’t get what he wants, he’s going to get angrier and more desperate and his killing is going to escalate. We need to find him, soon.”

That the guy had actual power, that he probably had a witch in his family history, they kept to themselves.There was still too much prejudice about praet/human relationships as it was. 

 

**********

 

They managed to last through the case wrap up and the plane ride, even though Derek felt like he was going to jump out of his skin. He’d never been so glad they had their own jet. Spencer squeaked as Derek grabbed his arm and yanked him into the closest empty room. At least he hoped it was empty but as he pushed Spencer up against the wall, truth was, he really didn’t care all that much. 

Derek groaned into Spencer’s mouth as sharp nails raked down his back. His own hands were just as busy, shifting layers aside as fast as possible to get to warm skin. They didn’t do this during a case, but before and after, all bets were off. What had started off as a way to relieve the stress of a particularly hard case and gradually morphed into a ‘friends with bennies’ situation was rapidly becoming something of an obsession. Spencer thought it was because the first point of Libra was near. The equinoxes affected praets in different ways, though scientists had yet to figure out why. Derek didn’t know if that was true, he only knew something had to break and soon or the rest of the team was going to get an eyeful. 

Spencer was panting as he pulled back. “Can we at least find a bed?” 

Derek shook his head, pulling Spencer back in. “Second round, Pretty boy.”


End file.
